The Door From Darkness
by A Heroic Spork
Summary: Erin is a 20 year old receptionist who finds herself traveling with 13 dwarves, a hobbit, and a wizard when all she set out to do was get a box of copy paper from the storage closet. Sometimes adventures pop up in the most unexpected times and places.
1. Chapter 1

**AHeroicSpork does not own any characters aside from Erin. **

**AN: It has been a while since I have written something new. I suddenly had an idea while re-watching the first Hobbit and have already written or planned out the first probably five or six chapters. I wrote up a storm but took some time with my editing! Pull up a chair, put up your feet and enjoy chapter 1! **

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."

― J.R.R. Tolkien, _The Lord of the Rings_

Ten more minutes. TEN MORE MINUTES. Erin couldn't stop checking the time on every device behind the reception desk. Once the clock struck nine she could go clock out, and go on a nice date on the family room sofa with her two favorite men. Ben and Jerry. Nobody could keep her away from her favorite weekend activity- doing absolutely nothing but eat ice cream and watch TV.

Luke, her supervisor came out from the back offices putting on his coat. "Erin, before you leave could you bring up some paper from the storage downstairs?"

"Sure thing!" She grabbed the store room keys off the hook and turned on the automatic voice mail.

"Thanks" Luke waved a goodbye as he headed out the automatic doors of the office. "Have a good weekend!" He called to her as he walked into the parking lot. Luke smirked at the thought of the prank security was about to pull on her. And she had no idea.

"You too!" She called after him before the doors shut. Glancing around the office, she remembered everyone was gone now aside from the night security in the basement. She suddenly felt terribly isolated. "The sooner I get this paper the sooner I can go home!"

The downstairs was always sketchy, but nighttime it almost felt like the scene of a horror movie. Cement floors, weird machines to crush boxes and buzzing vents made her feel like Freddy Krueger was going to jump out from a corner and go all Nightmare on Elm Street on her ass.

She reached the storage room and unlocked the door with her key. "Well this is just peachy." The room was pitch black. She reached for the light switch and flipped it, only to find that it didn't work. "Guess I should leave a note for maintenance before I leave." Erin muttered, feeling around for the boxes of paper. The door shut behind her, leaving her in the dark. "Well….crap. How could I forget lockable doors around here don't just stay open."

She continued to feel around for the boxes of paper until her fingers came upon the familiar heavy boxes. Picking it up she felt around for the door, putting the box down to use the knob.

But when she opened the door, she did not see the sketchy cement flooring or hear the loud buzzing of generators and heaters.

She saw a forest. "Do I have the wrong door?" Stepping out through the doorway, she placed the box of paper in the opening to prevent it from closing and looked around. The only light came from the moon, which was a pale white glow behind the clouds of the night. She looked to her right and saw...a cliff? There weren't cliffs in her town. "What's going on? Am I okay?" She rubbed her cheeks. Suddenly she heard the sound of a door slam behind her.

She jumped and turned around. Oh no! The door was gone! "I must be dreaming or something." She felt around for a knob or some trace of door, but the space was clear. It was as if the door was never there.

Erin heard a screeching off in the distance. "Either someone is pulling an elaborate prank...or this is a kidnapping...or someone wants to kill me…" She took the key out of her pocket, ya know, because someone might mistaken it for a small dagger which could scare off her enemies.

"Anyone?" This better not be Luke pulling a prank "This isn't funny guys!"

"Did you hear that?" Bilbo turned in the direction of Fili and Kili

"Sounded like the screech of an orc." Kili looked at Bilbo

Then the group heard another noise, the sound of someone yelling that seemed much closer than the last clamor.

Thorin stood up from the rock he was resting on. "Fili, Kili, secure the perimeter."

"I can't believe this." She shivered as a breeze blew through the trees. "Luke...where are you?" She called out into the forest. "If you don't come out now...with a RAISE...I am quitting!"

"Snap!" She heard a twig snap to her left and quickly turned to the source of the noise. She was not expecting to see two men much shorter than her in fighting stances. One had a bow and had an arrow drawn right towards her.

"Holy shit!" She jumped back and ended up catching the heel of her riding boots on a root, causing her to fall to the ground onto her back.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The man with the bow asked as the two approached her, not letting their guard down. His arrow was now pointed right at her face, and she covered herself with her hands.

"Not the face!"

She heard one of the men sigh. "Answer the question!"

"I don't know why I'm out here! I didn't know there was an emergency exit in the storage room!" She sat up and anxiously looked around the trees, expecting to see her supervisor with a camera behind the two men, ready to capture more embarrassing things to show her coworkers. "This isn't funny!"

"Storage room?" The archer questioned as he cocked his head to one side.

"I think she has gone mad. No woman would ever wander the wild alone." The man with the sword turned to the archer.

Erin glared at the sword dude for insulting her. "Yeah? Well at least I don't have...mustache braids!"

"Fili, Kili!" Another voice called out from the dark. "Is this the source of the squawking and screeching?"

"Squawking and screeching?! Did you just say I sound like a bird?" She crossed her arms. "Rude."

"We think she is deranged Thorin, I wouldn't go near her." muttered as the two men continued pointing their weapons at her.

She peered in the darkness searching for this rather rude Thorin guy. All she could make out was an outline leaning against a tree.

"Is that you Luke?" She balled her fists "You better be giving me a raise for this elaborate prank!"

"What are you still squawking about?" The figure questioned as he stepped closer towards her, out into the moonlight.

The man that the others called Thorin had a well trimmed beard and mustache with long flowing man mane. "Holy cow, what's your secret? L'Oreal?"

"Silence. Your screeching is rather irritating."

"Will you stop being so rude?"

"Thorin said be silent!" mustache braid man yelled as he walked closer to her, the blade of his sword now by her face.

Erin didn't have a good enough comeback to risk getting her head chopped off so she closed her mouth and shot Thorin an "are you happy?" look.

"How on middle-earth did you survive this far deep in the wild with no weapon and no companion?"

"Middle-earth? Isn't that like...Lord of The Rings?" She thought back to her younger years. Vaguely she recalled her cousin trying to get her into it, but she was a little peanut when the films came out. "All I know about middle-earth are elves are damn near immortal…" she thought out loud "and there are humans, goblins, orcs, dragons, and dwar-" She glanced at braid stache and the archer. "dwarves?!"

"What did I tell you Thorin, she's gone mad!"

Thorin looked as if he was deep in thought. "Take her back to camp."

"What?" She panicked "Wait, this isn't a joke? Where is Luke!?"

"We are taking her back to camp? What if she is a spy?!" Braid stache looked absolutely perturbed.

"Then tie her up when you get there." Thorin muttered as he turned towards the moon. "I do not lack honor, if she is truly lost I won't turn my back...I am no elf."

"Well aren't you dramatic." Erin raised an eyebrow.

Thorin turned to her "You may accompany us until we pass through a town where we will then leave you." He suddenly pulled a knife from his belt and pointed it at her. "But if along the way there is any hint of treachery, I will not hesitate to kill you."

The twenty year old gulped as she glanced at the blade. This was no game, no prank, Luke played many pranks, but he would never go this far. "O...kay"

Thorin walked off in what Erin assumed was the direction of camp.

"Stand up, and do not even think of running off, Kili never misses his mark." Beard braids ordered as the archer, who she now knew as Kili followed her every move with his arrow.

The walk to camp took only two or three minutes, where she was promptly tied at the hands and ankles by beard braid. Unfortunately for her, beard braid proposed she might try to run off in the night and alert an enemy, so they tied her hands to a tree.

"This is NOT fair." She mumbled looking at her spot next to their ponies. They were cute and all, but they smelled rather ripe.

"Ah, you must be the woman they found." An elderly man approached her.

"Don't know how you could have gotten that conclusion, Sherlock." She rolled her eyes before a sudden realization dawned upon her "You look a lot like that old dude in Harry Potter! Ya know, Dumbledore or whatever? Yeah that one. He was a real cool wizard guy, except he wore glasses and ate jelly beans."

The elderly man looked rather dumbfounded, but must have dismissed her comment because he just proceeded on with his introduction as if nothing had happened."Well, I am a wizard. My name is Gandalf the Grey, I could not help but hear my travel companions did not catch your name." The wizard inquired as he took a seat against a tree across from hers and took a draw from his pipe.

"My name is Erin, your travel companions were too busy threatening to kill me for any formal introductions to take place."

"I must apologize, they are only trying to protect themselves and the rest of our group. There are treacherous enemies lurking in the shadows of the night." _Is he trying to scare me?_ His grim and serious face was definitely working on her. "Do tell me, how is it a young and defenseless female human made it this far out into the world without getting killed along the way?" He leaned in close an gave a slight smile "Because I would surely like to know your technique."

"Here's the thing...I'm not really supposed to be here."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I am either dreaming, dead, under the influence, or a combination of the aforementioned things."

"And what leads you to such a conclusion as that?"

"Because, in my neck of the woods, nobody talks like you. There aren't little dwarf things running around being rude and pointing deadly weapons at innocent people!"

"Ah, but I knew that already."

"Knew what?"

"That you were not of this world." Gandalf took another draw from his pipe, studying her reactions.

"Well then why did you even ask?"

"I wanted to ensure that you could be trusted. You have a rather foreign air about you that did not go unnoticed by me, and won't go unnoticed by everyone." He re-lit his pipe using his finger to create a flame before continuing "Perhaps there is a purpose for you to be here on this journey with us. What it is I am yet to know."

"Or maybe it isn't meant to be! Maybe I am supposed to be sitting on my sofa with a pint of Chunky Monkey!" She raised her voice and made a frustrated attempt to stomp her foot, which simply reminded her that her ankles were bound.

"Hey!" Thorin called from near the campfire. "Do I need to gag you as well?"

Gandalf chuckled "You remind me of someone else in the group, someone who misses the comforts of home." Gazing up at the stars he spoke softly "but I have a feeling, he will help us on our quest more than he could ever imagine."

"Why does everyone do that?"

"Do what?"

"Look purposefully into the sky and say something that sounds epic and deep in a soft tone."

Gandalf ignored her comment and stood. "I suggest you get some rest now, we are to move at first light." He began to walk back towards the fire and stopped to turn around. "Be trustworthy Erin, I do believe it is not mere coincidence you have joined our faction tonight."

Thanks to the fact that camp was set up next to a cliff, there was a nice cool breeze blowing through the thin fabric of her knit sweater. It didn't phase her at first and she was able to hide most of her face on the cliff side into the slight warmth of her infinity scarf. She didn't start to shiver until what seemed like two or three hours into her being in their custody, but didn't really make a fuss about it, she was far too busy dozing off. Unfortunately it seemed every time she would doze a cruel and cool wind would blow and wake her up.

She stirred and heard footsteps walking toward her. Shifting between sleep and awake states too many times had left her in a daze and she didn't even bother to open her eyes a crack when she felt something soft and warm being draped over the front of her shoulders.

She listened to their footsteps walk back to the fire, they sounded surprisingly light for one of the dwarves who wore those clunky heavy boots. Curiosity got the best of her, and she opened her eyes a crack to see who had draped a warm blanket over her. His outline was short like the dwarves, but even in the dim light of the dying fire she noticed he lacked that husky appearance the other men had about them. She saw him settle down next to the fire once again, putting on what appeared to be a nightcap? Perhaps this was the man Gandalf was talking about. The man who also enjoyed the comforts of home.

She snuggled appreciatively into the warm cloth, quickly falling into a peaceful slumber.

"Hey, wake up will you?" Someone was shaking her shoulders "We have to get moving, don't make me pour water over your head lassie!"

"huh?" She rubbed her eyes with her bound hands, immediately realizing her mistake. "I didn't remove my makeup…."

"It seems ye got a bit of dirt on yer face." She blinked to see a different dwarf from last night, he had roughly the same style clothes but also wore a hat that flipped up on both sides almost like it had blown around in the wind and then froze in time. "There is a small stream not too far from here" he started to untie her from the tree and freed her ankles. "You can wash yer face there, but I'll have to come with ya" She looked down and noticed her wrists were still bound.

"What about this?" She held up her bound wrists towards him.

"Sorry little miss, I am not permitted to undo that one." He sighed "Thorin told everyone about how they found ya last night, even though most of us see ya as harmless Thorin doesn't want to take any risks." She stood up and followed him. "You are to be bound at night just like before, while we are traveling you will be unbound. The wizard Gandalf has volunteered to keep an eye on you whilst we travel, so you will be riding on his horse. We don't have enough ponies to have you ride one of them."

"So why are my wrists bound now?"

"While we are resting, we are to keep a close eye on ya and tie yer wrists." He frowned "I think it is a bit silly myself, but I am sure Thorin will rethink his rules after you earn his trust."

Soon they had reached a small stream, the water appeared clean and clear of any icky germs or infections. She did NOT want to get any sort of sick traveling around with a bunch of males. The cool crisp water felt extremely refreshing to her still tired eyes, she made extra sure to wipe her lashes and lids well to get rid of any remaining makeup before standing up. "That was amazingly refreshing!"

The dwarf smiled as he turned back to camp. "Thorin told us your name was Erin, but I never got to tell ya mine." He smiled gently before bowing slightly "Bofur at yer service!"

She saw Thorin walking over to the two of them. Was that a glare he just shot at her? "Bofur, we must get moving. We have wasted a good bit of daylight already."

"Alright Thorin, come on now Erin, we have to get over to the ponies. Once we get over there I will untie yer wrists and we will be off!"

Erin had ridden a horse probably twice in her whole life. She didn't remember it being so high up. It probably took her three or four tries to swing her leg over the horse, earning a collection of puzzled glances from the dwarves and a few surprised murmurs about her inability to get on one.

"Don't worry about it!" A gentle voice called out from further back. "It took me a few times to get on my pony the first time!" The short guy from last night that had covered her with a blanket approached her on a pony. "I find it helps if you kick your other foot forward as well, gives you a bit of help getting the other one over."

"Thanks" She grinned at the small man, he seemed to be a lot more gentle than the dwarves. "My name is Erin, what is yours?"

"My name is Bilbo Baggens" he continued looking slightly proud "and I am the hobbit on our little adventure."

"Ah Bilbo!" Gandalf approached his horse and got on with ease in front of Erin. "It seems you have met our new traveling companion.

"He gave me some tips on getting on the horse." She rested her hands on Gandalf shoulders as they began to travel towards what she assumed was their ultimate destination. "Bilbo is a very helpful hobbit."

Bilbo appeared to blush a bit. "Oh it was nothing really."

"Well you also covered me with a blanket last night, that was very kind of you to do. Especially since I was tied up as far from the fire as possible." She shot a glare towards Thorin.

"Bilbo Baggins, you are such a kind soul."Gandalf started as he grinned at his hobbit friend. "I only wish others would show kindness to all our companions." Gandalf muttered glancing at Thorin, who didn't seem to notice.

They had been riding for what seemed like hours before anyone talked after that. Erin was unsure if the dwarves were unsure what they could say around her or were just tired. She racked her brain for travel games that they could play. They couldn't play the celebrity game...or the license plate game. Suddenly she came up with a game that everyone would understand. "I spy something...grey."

"Oh are we playing a game?" The dwarf she had learned to know as Ori asked as he looked about his group.

There were no objections, so the twenty year old proceeded. "and pointy."

"Is it Gandalf's hat?" Bilbo questioned as if he looked deep in thought.

"How did you guess?" She chuckled. Everything was either green, brown or grey around here.

After a few more tries the game eventually ended and the company fell into silence once again.

An hour or two later it had reached midday. Gandalf looked into the sky as if he was calculating something. "It is going to rain soon."

"Rain?" Gloin questioned looking up into the seemingly clear blue sky "There isn't even a cloud up there, it has been nice all day. How do you know it is going to rain."

Gandalf sighed as he turned back to Gloin "Master Gloin, once you become an old man like me, you will understand." He seemed to stretch his arms and shuddered. "These joints always let me know when there will be an impending shower."

"Does middle-earth have umbrellas?" Erin asked as she looked down realizing that she was by no means equipped for even a sprinkle of rain. Unless she wanted her thin sweater to be see through.

"Umbrella? What a strange word, I have never heard of one." Bilbo looked rather perplexed.

"No , we use our cloaks." Gandalf turned his head to the side looking back at her. "I do hope one of you dwarves have an extra one for our new recruit." He called back to the dwarves behind them.

"Oh yeah" She turned her upper body to the side so she could swing her head around to the males behind her. "If any of you guys have an extra cloak it would be much apprecia-uff!" Suddenly there was cloth on her face and over her head. It smelled lightly of balsam fir. She took the cloth off her head, realizing it was a cloak. "Thanks...whoever?" She tied the cloak on, and though it was short lengthwise, it was wide enough to wrap herself in and then some. _Probably because of their stocky physique._

"You may borrow it, but as soon as the rain ceases you are to give it back to me." That rude scruffy voice sounded familiar. She turned to see Thorin looking right at her. "Are we clear?"

"Clear as crystal." She held her thumb up and gave him a grin. Thorin just grunted and looked away. _Whatever grumpus. _

Sure enough the rain came accompanied by a strong wind that stung her cheeks. She hid her face in the cloak as best she could. Erin had a feeling this was going to be a very VERY long adventure and that this experience was just one of many dilemmas she would have to face on the way. Yes, this was just the tip of the iceberg.

**AN: Hello! Please let me know if you liked this start! If you didn't like something please do tell me! I can take it...you don't need to sugar coat it, just a sprinkle will be fine not to hurt my self esteem! I thought it would be interesting to have a character that really has no clue what is in store for her show up in middle earth. Don't forget to review! I try to get back to all my reviewers personally :) I hope nobody thinks I wrote Thorin as being too mean, but you saw how he was when Bilbo joined their group, plus she is a random stranger! I wonder what adventures are in store for poor Erin. **


	2. Chapter 2

**This Spork that is rather heroic does not own any character from the Hobbit, she simply owns Erin.**

**AN: Chapter 2 is now complete! I have completely written up to chapter six, but it still needs to go through some major editing :) Trying to get a head start before my college break ends (and I go to Disney in February..because who wouldn't pass up class for Disney World?) Though I guess I would pass up Disney to go to Middle-Earth and meet Legolas...mmm what a fruitcake. I guess I should be careful for what I wish for! Enjoy chapter 2!**

"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.  
>"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."<p>

― J.R.R. Tolkien, _The Fellowship of the Ring_

The rain beat ever so steadily on her cloak.

"Here, Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" One of the dwarves called from behind Gandalf's horse.

_Great idea! He is a wizard, so he can obviously make the rain go away._ Erin sighed in relief at the thought of throwing this darn cozy cloak back in Thorin's face so she didn't feel like she owed him anything.

"It is raining, Master Dwarf...and it will continue to rain until the rain is done."

"Seriously?! Ugh." Erin crossed her arms after she pushed her wet bangs out of her face. The hood of her cloak was rather short, and didn't protect the entirety of her forehead, especially since the wind was blowing the water right into her face. She leaned her head against Gandalf's shoulders and whined like a child having a tantrum.

"If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another Wizard." Gandalf stated as he tipped his hat, letting some of the pooled water spill off onto the ground.

"Are there any?" Bilbo inquired

"What?"

"Other Wizards." Bilbo rode his pony so it was parallel to their horse.

"There HAS to be, Bilbo! How else would they have babies?" Erin sighed, this was common sense.

"Actually , there are only five of us."

"Five? Then how do you have kids?"

"We don't have children , that is not our purpose on Middle-Earth."

"Ohhh." She nodded pretending she knew his real purpose.

"Anyway The greatest of our order is Saruman the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards..." He glanced back at Bilbo with a baffled expression "Do you know, I've quite forgotten their names."

"And who is the fifth?" Bilbo questioned.

"Well, that would be Radagast the Brown."

"Is he a great Wizard? Or is he more like you?"

"Whoa Bilbo, that wasn't very nice." Erin turned and scolded him as she wagged her finger at him. "Very rude." Bilbo chuckled lightly at her scoldings.

If Gandalf was bothered by Bilbo's comment he didn't show it, and proceeded as if he had missed his friends last sentence. "I think he's a very great Wizard" He paused as if he was contemplating his words very carefully. "In his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the east. And a good thing too, for always evil will look to find a foothold in this world."

"So basically he is like...snow white?" Erin paused, Snow White wasn't a protector she was a damsel. "Oh! Better yet, He is the Batman of the Woods!"

"I am going to pretend I understand what those things mean and simply agree with you." Gandalf sounded as if he was stifling a bit of laughter.

"Oh whatever" Erin muttered as she burrowed her face back into the cloak to shield it from the rain.

Elsewhere a dark figure approached a ruined fortress that had been long forgotten by people of the light.

"Master, we have found the dwarf scum, they are heading East." The Orc approached his master "They are looking to the Lonely Mountain."

The larger orc smirked. At last, he had found the last of the line of Durin.

"That isn't all master. They have a wizard and a halfling. And a human girl." He paused, which lead the larger orc to turn to him.

"It's out of the ordinary, but is it worth noting?" The pale orc grew annoyed at his underling's overly dramatic behavior.

"Perhaps it is just a feeling, but I think HE would be interested. There is something different about the girl."

The pale large orc sighed, he didn't want to waste his masters time with some little girl who probably was nothing more than another sack of flesh. He weighed the pros and cons. "Fine. Bring her to me. Alive." He turned away, and muttered to himself "If she isn't worth our masters time, female human flesh has always tasted sweetest." The pale orc grinned and licked his teeth. Either he would make the master happy or have a lovely victory meal while he gazed at the head of Thorin Oakenshield. Each were equally appealing.

The rain was finally over, and Erin shed off the cloak of L'oriel McGrumpus Face. They had stopped on a small hill by a rundown shack. "Here." She held the cloak out to Thorin, who had wrapped his up and started stuffing it in his backpack.

"Keep it" he muttered "It's too big for me anyway."

"Are you calling me fat?" Erin smirked playfully, trying to lighten his grumpy mood towards her.

"Women." He rolled his eyes and stomped off, telling Fili and Kili to look after the ponies.

"Wait I was joking..." She frowned, not understanding why he was being so bitter towards her.

She took advantage of her time unbound and free of being on the back of a giant horse. She lay on a large rock, smiling as the rays beat down on her face and filled her with warmth. Oh how she missed the days of laying on a beach towel in the sand at the shore. There were no lovely sounds of waves crashing against the jetty, or the annoying yet soothingly familiar squawking of seagulls and buzzing of airplanes with ads whizzing past. No smell of boardwalk fries or her mothers homemade strawberry mint lemonade. A single tear formed in her left eye, and she blinked it free. Letting the tear roll down the side of her face. She was homesick. Was there any way out of this place? Maybe she was lucid dreaming? No. If that were the case she would be able to wake up. Tears slowly kept coming as she stared at the clouds.

"I couldn't help but notice you were crying Erin." Bilbo sat down on the rock next to her, also looking at the clouds."Homesick?" Bilbo shot her a questioning expression, she responded with a small nod.

Bilbo looked up at the clouds. "When I get sad I like to look at the clouds, because no matter where you are, if you look at the clouds you can pretend yer home." He smiled gently. "I pretend I am laying outside my hobbit hole looking at the sky and smoking a bit of Southfarthing."

"Easy for you to say...I really don't belong here Bilbo." She sighed at how overly dramatic she was being and continued "I don't belong anywhere in middle-earth." Erin muttered her last sentence, fearing if she spoke in a normal tone she might start bawling like she was on Doctor Phil .

"Don't you worry Lassie!" She heard Bofur approach the pair "There is always a place for ya in our company!"

The heartwarming attempt to cheer her up made her smile. "Aww you two."

"Bofur" Thorin called from the run down shack "I told you to bind her wrists as soon as we made camp."

"Ughh!" Erin let out a huge sigh and pounded the rock with her fist. So much for her freedom to spread out on this lovely rock.

"Sorry Lassie" Bofur took the rope from his belt and bent down to her level.

"W-wait! Why do we have to tie her up? She isn't going anywhere!" Bilbo sputtered as he stood looking to Thorin and then to Gandalf who stood next to Thorin.

Erin wiped the tears from her cheeks quickly and stealthily with the sleeve of her sweater, hoping that her eyes did not look too red and puffy.

"Master Baggins, if Gandalf had not shown me that you are a simple hobbit incapable of deception and betrayal I may have done the same to you." He looked at Erin as if he was trying to figure out something unsolvable "I can't yet trust her, I will not. I shall not risk her harming my men while they sleep because tying her up is considered cruel to you."

Bilbo opened his mouth to retort, but Erin had put a hand on his shoulder.

"Bilbo, it's fine." She held out her wrists. "If this is how I have to prove it, then so be it."

Bofur looked at her with pity as he loosely tied her wrists.

Thorin looked satisfied, and actually gave Erin a slight smile. "Thank you for understanding Erin, this is a step in the right direction."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Now she was being the grumpus.

Erin wandered about the campsite, watching the dwarves get right to work making fires and sharpening their many, MANY weapons. She walked up to the run down shack, foundation and bits of roof were the only pieces remaining. She inspected the area inside, wandering who lived here, how long ago and why they left.

She heard footfalls behind her, and turned to see Gandalf enter the ruined shack. "A farmer and his family used to live here." He surveyed the area, face mixed with confusion and a hint of worry. Thorin must have noticed, he strolled up the hill and approached Gandalf "I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley."

"Hidden Valley, like Hidden Valley Ranch? The place that children eat vegetables like they are pieces of popcorn saturated in melted butter?"

The two ignored her. Thorin looked disgusted "I have told you already...I will not go near that place."

"So Thorin has some sort of beef with veggies?"

Once again, her attempt at adding humor to their boring adult conversation was paid no mind.

"Why not? The Elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice." Gandalf practically pleaded.

"I do not need their advice." Thorin turned to Erin and gave her a stern look.

"I guess that's my invitation to leave." She muttered as she walked outside, but lingered behind the brick wall.

"We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us."

_These guys don't know where we are supposed to be going?_

"Help?" She heard Thorin raise his voice "A dragon attacks help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria...desecrate our sacred halls. The Elves looked on and did nothing. And you ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather. Betrayed my father."

"You are neither of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold onto the past."

"I did not know that they were yours to keep." Thorin spat back.

Things were escalating, Erin worried if she didn't intervene she would witness a mega boss duel, which sounded pretty awesome save for the fact that Gandalf was a sweet old man. She was about to step out from her hiding place when she heard another voice interrupt the bickering men. "Everything all right?" Bilbo to the rescue! Erin heard someone walking near her hiding spot. "Gandalf, where are you going?"

"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense."

"And who's that?"

"Myself, Mr. Baggins." Gandalf called as he descended the hill, past her. "I've had enough of Dwarves for one day." He muttered as he stalked off.

Erin let out a breath of air she had been holding in as the tension increased between the two men. "Awkward."

"Come on, Bombur, we're hungry." Thorin called to the chubby man, who saluted Thorin and pulled out a large stew pot.

"Hey, Thorin?" Erin called out to him as she peaked back into the ruined shack.

His gaze quickly snapped to her. He did not look like he was in a good mood, but she wanted answers. The statement about a map they could not read gave her a bad feeling. "What is it?"

"Where are we going?"

"We as in the dwarves and Bilbo are going to the Lonely Mountain to take back our homeland. YOU" he pointed to her " are going to be dropped off somewhere along the way."

"Why can't I come to the lonely mountain...it sounds like fun."

"Battle is no place for a woman."

"That's sexist! I am a strong independent woman!"

"If you are so strong and independent then take up a sword and fight me."

"What? But...that isn't fair!"

"The world out in the wild is not fair. An Orc will kill you regardless of weather or not you can put up a fight. Man, woman, child. It makes no difference. They will not hesitate to kill you because it is not fair." He grabbed a sword from the bags in the middle of the campsite. "If you can defeat me." He turned the handle towards her. "You may accompany us."

"Really?"

"Sure" Thorin had no intention of letting her go with them, mainly because he had no intention of losing.

"My wrists are still tied..."

"Is that not fair?" Thorin questioned, mocking concern that Erin mistook for sincerity.

"Well, no, no it isn't."

"Good." In one swift movement Thorin moved, swinging his sword down powerfully towards her shoulder. Thorin was expecting to hit her with the blow, but let up at the last second and reduce the severity of the injury. He simply wanted to show her how weak she truly was.

To Thorin's surprise, she blocked it. Granted, it was sloppily done and was more of a flinch than a block, but she still managed to react. He knew he couldn't give her hope now. He had to break that false confidence before she thought she was invincible.

The clang of two swords attracted the attention of the other dwarves in camp, some came closer to watch while others looked on in disbelief that Thorin would even think about fighting her.

Thorin let up on his blade, and let out a battle cry before swinging his blade up and down to the left, currently her weakest point. Erin scrambled to block the blow, bringing her arms down just in time. He had just missed the hilt where her fingers awkwardly gripped the blade due to her bound wrists. "T-Thorin!" Erin stammered as she realized if she had reacted a second too late she would have brought the blade low enough to loose a few finger tips.

"This IS what you wanted." He let up on her blade once more, already seeing her arms fatigue.

Erin tried to calm her rushing heart. _Thorin would never risk hurting me...right? _It was then that Erin realized a way to defeat Thorin.

As Thorin went for another blow, this time to her right side, Erin blocked it. The force of the blow was more intense than she anticipated which caused her to bail away from the attack. She hit the ground, immediately sitting up crouching on one leg, using the other to slowly creep behind Thorin's foot.

"Like I said, battle is no place for a woman."

Erin shot him a frustrated glare and let out a massive battle cry. She swung her blade at his side furthest from her. Thorin effortlessly blocked the attack, but didn't notice her true motives. She took advantage of his inattention to her feet and swiftly kicked the backs of his knees, causing him to fall face down in the grass. She got up swiftly and pointed the sword at him, smirking. "Classic misdirection."

Thorin looked slightly shocked, but immediately changed it to a glare.

"I guess I won." Erin giggled as she offered Thorin her hands that were still bound as a way to pull himself up. He looked at her wrists and sighed, bringing his blade towards them.

She flinched and closed her eyes, half expecting him to attack, instead she felt the rope give one last tug before it dropped to the ground.

The dwarves cheered in surprise. Thorin gave her a slight smile. "I was going easy on you." He paused sheathing his own weapon before locking his eyes with hers "Do not think you can just run around playing the hero. You can protect yourself from simple jabs, but you lack strength and form."

"Well maybe I would have done better without my hands tied!"

"What if you had acquired an injury? Would it also not be a drawback?" The dwarves all minded their own business as Erin was scolded. "During battle one can suffer some devastating inconveniences, and if you cannot cope with them you will perish quickly." He started to march back down the hill, leaving her speechless outside the ruined hut.

She sat down in the tall grass ignoring the prickly blades ticking her wrists. "Am I going to die here? Am I going to miss the rest of The Avengers movies?"

"Who are the Avengers?" She turned around, surprised by the sound of someone talking to her. It was Bofur again.

"Superheros, protectors of the world." She smiled gently. "I wish I was a super hero."

"Whats stopping you?" Bofur looked rather confused.

"Well...it just isn't that simple!" She paused thinking of a good reason. "I can't fight!"

"Yes ya can lass! You fought Thorin pretty nicely didn't ya?"

"T-that doesn't count!" She stammered as she continued to pick her brain, yet to find a good reason.

Bofur let out a gentle laugh. "It seems that the only thing that's stoppin' ya is yerself!"

Erin let out a defeated huff and crossed her arms. "Superheros always have a cool name. Mine is just Erin."

"Alright then, your new superhero name is Just Erin." Bofur gave her a cheeky smile.

"Ya know...that has a ring to it!" Erin raised her eyebrows as she considered the very unique super hero name. "It's decided then. I'm going to be a super hero from now on!"

"Bofur!" She heard Thorin call from the bottom of the hill. "Go collect more firewood before the food is ready."

"If you will excuse me, Just Erin." He stood and gave her a bow before swinging an ax over his shoulder.

Erin sat in the grass for a long time, staring off into space and thinking about various things. Her family, her way of getting to...wherever she was, and her craving for Panera Bread were all swimming through her mind.

"Will you come in for some soup?" She saw Bilbo come from outside the ruined shack, where the fire for their food now burned.

"Soup?" He had her undivided attention. "I wonder what kind of soup dwarves make. Broccoli cheddar? Chicken Noodle? Seafood Bisque?" She continued listing her favorites to a very confused Bilbo as she stood from her place in the grass. "I wonder if it comes with a piece of bread!" Her stomach growled as she realized she had not eaten a thing since the morning.

"I'm afraid it is rather simple." Bilbo stated as he handed her a bowl. The dwarves were all laughing and having a merry time, Erin longed to join them but was still feeling a tad bit homesick and decided that she would much rather sit outside.

She sipped the soup and struggled to swallow it without gagging. It needed salt, there was a slight taste of dirt not to mention there was no yummy bread, but it was edible. The more she ate the more she realized its slight beef taste and was able to ignore the taste of soil. By the time her bowl was empty Erin could barely keep her eyes open. There was a reason she didn't eat much soup, warm things made her tired very easily. The combination of her rather full belly and the warmth of the soup made her extremely drowsy. She lazily tossed the cloak Thorin gave her over her legs, ignoring the fact that it ended up only covering her left knee and right ankle. At least the grass was warm.

"Is he coming back?" Bilbo nervously bit his lip. "He's been a long time." He looked to Bofur who was stirring the soup over the fire.

"Who?"

"Gandalf." Bilbo answered as he looked around the clearing for Gandalf.

"He's a Wizard. He does as he chooses." Bofur shrugged as he poured soup into two bowls. "Here, do us a favor. Take this to the lads." Bofur handed two bowls to Bilbo in hopes to distract him from his worries. He then slapped Bomber's hand away from the spoon. "Stop it. You've had plenty."

Thorin gazed out from the shack to see Erin sleeping in the grass that overlooked the forest.

"Something the matter" Balin asked as he too stared at the young woman.

"She'll catch a cold if she sleeps that far from the fire without covering herself from the breeze." Thorin muttered as he went to go correct the problem.

Thorin looked down at Erin's sleeping form. Her hair was sprawled out in the grass, she had dirt on her face and she was snoring. How ladylike. He smirked as he looked down at the cloak she had thrown at her legs. Picking up the heavy cloth, he spread the width along the length of her body in order to cover a majority of the arms from the gentle wind. She seemed to grunt and mumbled something incoherent "Mom I don't wanna wake up yet...I don't work till three~." She whined as she threw her arm over her face.

"Thorin!" Bomber whispered with urgency. Thorin turned to the elder dwarf. "Kili and Fili found some trolls in the woods!" He kept his whisper "They have taken some of our steeds. It seems like Bilbo has tried to go rescue them alone!"

Thorin looked in the direction of the horses. There seemed to be the faint light of a campfire glowing off into the distance. "Let's go save them then." Thorin whispered as the two walked back to the shack where the other dwarves were already equipping their weapons.

"What about the lady?" Bomber asked glancing back to the sleeping Erin.

"Let her sleep, she does not need to be involved." He walked toward the troll camp with the others. "She would only get hurt."

**AN: So what did you guys think? Please leave some reviews people! If you have followed my story please leave some feedback! Even if it's random. For example...what is your favorite soup?**


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